Today is August 2 2015

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day: More

• National Friendship Day: More
  Created by Hallmark Cards in 1919. In 2011 the UN declared the day to be on July 30, but most countries hold it on the first Sunday in August.
• National Coloring Book Day: More
• American Family Day: More
  In the US state of Arizona. From Wikipedia: 'American Family Day is the 14th state-recognized holiday in Arizona, Title 1-301. American Family Day, much like Mothers Day or Father's Day is a non-paid holiday established as a separate day to appreciate family members by spending time with them. Families are discouraged from buying gifts or other material items. '
• Sisters' Day: More
  First Sunday in August. Started in 1999 by sisters Tricia Rivalto Eleogram and Stacey Lowrey.

• Health
  • Donate Life Week: More
    Aug 2-9 in Australia. Concerns organ donation.
• Animal and Pets
  • International Assistance Dog Week (IADW): More
    Aug 2-8. Concerns assistance dogs that aid the disabled.

• In 1776, The United States Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4 1776, was signed by members of Congress.
  - At Archives.gov: (Timeline): More
  Timeline
  June 7, 1776 - Lee Resolution delivered by Richard Henry Lee,
  June 11, 1776 - Committee of Five Appointed to state the colonies case.
  June 11 - July 1, 1776 - Declaration of Independence Drafted,
  July 2, 1776 - Lee Resolution Adopted and Consideration of Declaration,
  July 4, 1776 - Declaration of Independence Adopted and Printed,
  July 5, 1776 - Copies of the Declaration Dispatched throughout the Colonies,
  August 2, 1776 - Declaration Signed.
  From Wikipedia: 'On August 2, 1776, a parchment paper copy of the Declaration was signed by 56 persons. Many of these signers were not present when the original Declaration was adopted on July 4. One signer, Matthew Thornton from New Hampshire, who was seated in the Continental Congress in November, asked for and received the privilege of adding his signature at that time, and signed on November 4, 1776.
  
  Historians have generally accepted McKean's version of events, arguing that the famous signed version of the Declaration was created after July 19, and was not signed by Congress until August 2, 1776. In 1986, legal historian Wilfred Ritz argued that historians had misunderstood the primary documents and given too much credence to McKean, who had not been present in Congress on July 4. According to Ritz, about thirty-four delegates signed the Declaration on July 4, and the others signed on or after August 2. Historians who reject a July 4 signing maintain that most delegates signed on August 2, and that those eventual signers who were not present added their names later. Two future U.S. presidents, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, were among the signatories.
  
  Various legends about the signing of the Declaration emerged years later, when the document had become an important national symbol. In one famous story, John Hancock supposedly said that Congress, having signed the Declaration, must now "all hang together", and Benjamin Franklin replied: "Yes, we must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." The quotation did not appear in print until more than fifty years after Franklin's death.
  
  The Syng inkstand, used at the signing, was also used at the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1790, The first United States Census is conducted.
  The population count obtained for August 2, 1790 was 3,929,326.
  The population count obtained for July 2, 1790 was 62,947,714.
  The population count obtained for April 1 1990 was 248,709,873.
  The population count obtained for April 1 2010 was 248,709,873.
  From Wikipedia: 'The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which states: "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States ... according to their respective Numbers ... . The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years." The United States Census Bureau (officially the Bureau of the Census, as defined in Title 13 U.S.C. § 11) is responsible for the United States Census.
  
  The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790, under Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson; there have been 22 federal censuses since that time. The current national census was held in 2010; the next census is scheduled for 2020 and will be largely conducted using the Internet. For years between the decennial censuses, the Census Bureau issues estimates made using surveys and statistical models, in particular, the American Community Survey.
  
  Title 13 of the United States Code governs how the Census is conducted and how its data is handled. Information is confidential as per 13 U.S.C. § 9 . Refusing or neglecting to answer the census is punishable by fines of $100, for a property or business agent to fail to provide correct names for the census is punishable by fines of $500, and for a business agent to provide false answers for the census is punishable by fines of $10,000, pursuant to 13 U.S.C. § 221 -224.
  
  The United States Census is a population census, which is distinct from the U.S. Census of Agriculture, which is no longer the responsibility of the Census Bureau. It is also distinct from local censuses conducted by some states or local jurisdictions'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1870, Tower Subway, the world's first underground tube railway, opens in London, England, United Kingdom.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Tower Subway is a tunnel beneath the River Thames in central London, between Tower Hill on the north side of the river and Vine Lane (off Tooley Street) on the south. In 1869 a 1,340-foot (410 m) circular tunnel was dug through the London clay using a wrought iron shield, a method that had been patented in 1864 by Peter W. Barlow. A 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway was laid in the tunnel and from August 1870 a cable-hauled wooden carriage conveyed passengers from one end to the other. This was uneconomic and the company went bankrupt by the end of the year. The tunnel was converted to pedestrian use and one million people a year crossed under the river, paying a toll of 1/2d. The opening of the toll-free Tower Bridge in 1894 caused a drop in income and the tunnel closed in 1898, after being sold to the London Hydraulic Power Company. Today the tunnel is used for water mains.
  
  The same method of construction was used in 1890 to dig the tunnels of the City and South London Railway, the first of London's "Tube" railways'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1873, San Francisco has its first ever cable car operated system. It was the Clay Street Hill Railroad line.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Clay Street Hill Railroad was the first successful cable hauled street railway. It was located on Clay Street, a notably steep street in San Francisco in California, and first operated in August 1873.
  
  The promoter of the line was Andrew Smith Hallidie, and the engineer was William Eppelsheimer. Accounts differ as to exactly how involved Hallidie was in the inception of the Clay Street Hill Railway. One version has him taking over the promotion of the line when the original promoter, Benjamin Brooks, failed to raise the necessary capital. In another version, Hallidie was the instigator, inspired by a desire to reduce the suffering incurred by the horses that hauled streetcars up Jackson Street, from Kearny to Stockton Street.
  
  There is also doubt as to when exactly the first run of the cable car occurred. The franchise required a first run no later than August 1, 1873. However, at least one source reports that the run took place a day late, on August 2, but the city chose not to void the franchise. Some accounts say that the first gripman hired by Hallidie looked down the steep hill from Jones and refused to operate the car, so Hallidie took the grip himself and ran the car down the hill and up again without any problems.
  
  The line involved the use of grip cars, which carried the grip that engaged with the cable, towing trailer cars. The design was the first to use such grips.
  
  The Clay Street line started regular service on September 1, 1873 and was a financial success. In 1888, it was absorbed into the Sacramento-Clay line of the Ferries and Cliff House Railway, and it subsequently became a small part of the San Francisco cable car system. Today none of the original line survives. However grip car 8 from the line has been preserved, and is now displayed in the San Francisco Cable Car Museum.
  
  The railroad was designated as California Historical Landmark #500, with the landmark marker being placed at the site of its eastern terminus near the corner of Clay Street and Kearny'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia (Clay Street Hill Railroad): More
  - On YouTube: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1892, Charles A Wheeler patents an escalator prototype.
  From Wikipedia: 'An escalator is a type of vertical transportation in the form of a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individually linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.
  
  Escalators are used around the world to move pedestrian traffic in places where elevators would be impractical. Principal areas of usage include department stores, shopping malls, airports, transit systems, convention centers, hotels, arenas, stadiums, train stations (subways) and public buildings.
  
  Escalators have the capacity to move large numbers of people, and they can be placed in the same physical space as a staircase. They have no waiting interval (except during very heavy traffic), they can be used to guide people toward main exits or special exhibits, and they may be weatherproofed for outdoor use. A non-functioning escalator can function as a normal staircase, whereas many other conveyances become useless when they break down.
  
  On March 15, 1892, Jesse W. Reno patented the "Endless Conveyor or Elevator." A few months after Reno's patent was approved, George A. Wheeler patented his ideas for a more recognizable moving staircase, though it was never built. Wheeler’s patents were bought by Charles Seeberger; some features of Wheeler’s designs were incorporated in Seeberger’s prototype built by the Otis Elevator Company in 1899.
  
  Reno, a graduate of Lehigh University, produced the first working escalator (he actually called it the "inclined elevator") and installed it alongside the Old Iron Pier at Coney Island, New York City in 1896. This particular device was little more than an inclined belt with cast-iron slats or cleats on the surface for traction, and traveled along a 25° incline. A few months later, the same prototype was used for a month-long trial period on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. Reno eventually joined forces with Otis, and retired once his patents were purchased outright. Some Reno-type escalators were still being used in the Boston subway until construction for the Big Dig precipitated their removal. The Smithsonian Institution considered re-assembling one of these historic units from 1914 in their collection of Americana, but "logistics and reassembly costs won out over nostalgia", and the project was discarded.
  
  Around May 1895, Charles Seeberger began drawings on a form of escalator similar to those patented by Wheeler in 1892. This device actually consisted of flat, moving stairs, not unlike the escalators of today, except for one important detail: the step surface was smooth, with no comb effect to safely guide the rider's feet off at the ends. Instead, the passenger had to step off sideways. To facilitate this, at the top or bottom of the escalator the steps continued moving horizontally beyond the end of the handrail (like a miniature moving sidewalk) until they disappeared under a triangular "divider" which guided the passenger to either side. Seeberger teamed with Otis in 1899, and together they produced the first commercial escalator which won the first prize at the Paris 1900 Exposition Universelle in France. Also on display at the Exposition were Reno's inclined elevator, a similar model by James M. Dodge and the Link Belt Machinery Co., and two different devices by French manufacturers Hallé and Piat'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1929, The classic song, Ain't Misbehavin', was recorded by Fats Waller.
  From Wikipedia: 'Ain't Misbehavin' is a 1929 stride jazz/early swing composition with 32 bars in AABA measure with a slow-to-moderate pace. With lyrics by Andy Razaf and score by Thomas "Fats" Waller and Harry Brooks, the number was created specifically as a theme song for the Razaf/Waller/Brooks off-Broadway musical comedy Connie's Hot Chocolates. In a 1941 interview with Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Fats claimed the song was written while "lodging" in alimony prison, and that is why he was not "misbehaving".
  
  The song was first performed at the premiere of Connie's Hot Chocolates at Connie's Inn in Harlem as an opening number by Margaret Simms and Paul Bass, and repeated later in the musical by Russell Wooding's Hallelujah Singers. Connie's Hot Chocolates transferred to the Hudson Theatre on Broadway in June 1929, where it was renamed to Hot Chocolates and where Louis Armstrong took over as orchestra director. The script also required Armstrong to play Ain't Misbehavin' in a trumpet solo, and although this was initially slated to only be a reprise of the opening song, Armstrong's performance was so well received that the trumpeter was asked to climb out of the orchestra pit and play the piece on stage'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1932, The positron (antiparticle of the electron) is discovered by Carl D. Anderson.
  From Wikipedia: 'Dmitri Skobeltsyn first observed the positron in 1929. While using a Wilson cloud chamber to try to detect gamma radiation in cosmic rays, Skobeltsyn detected particles that acted like electrons but curved in the opposite direction in an applied magnetic field.
  
  Likewise, in 1929 Chung-Yao Chao, a graduate student at Caltech, noticed some anomalous results that indicated particles behaving like electrons, but with a positive charge, though the results were inconclusive and the phenomenon was not pursued.
  
  Carl David Anderson discovered the positron on August 2, 1932, for which he won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1936. Anderson did not coin the term positron, but allowed it at the suggestion of the Physical Review journal editor to which he submitted his discovery paper in late 1932. The positron was the first evidence of antimatter and was discovered when Anderson allowed cosmic rays to pass through a cloud chamber and a lead plate. A magnet surrounded this apparatus, causing particles to bend in different directions based on their electric charge. The ion trail left by each positron appeared on the photographic plate with a curvature matching the mass-to-charge ratio of an electron, but in a direction that showed its charge was positive.
  
  Anderson wrote in retrospect that the positron could have been discovered earlier based on Chung-Yao Chao's work, if only it had been followed up on. Frédéric and Irène Joliot-Curie in Paris had evidence of positrons in old photographs when Anderson's results came out, but they had dismissed them as protons.
  
  The positron had also been contemporaneously discovered by Patrick Blackett and Giuseppe Occhialini at the Cavendish Laboratory in 1932. Blackett and Occhialini had delayed publication to obtain more solid evidence, so Anderson was able to publish the discovery first'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1967, 'In the Heat of the Night' directed by Norman Jewison and starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger premieres in New York (Best Picture 1968)
  From Wikipedia: 'In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 American mystery drama film directed by Norman Jewison. It is based on John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name which tells the story of Virgil Tibbs, a black police detective from Philadelphia, who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a racist small town in Mississippi. The movie changes various details found in the book from relatively minor ones (Virgil Tibbs in the book is an officer in California) to more major (basic details of the murder, including the victim, are different). It stars Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, and Warren Oates, and was produced by Walter Mirisch. The screenplay was by Stirling Silliphant.
  
  The film won five Academy Awards, including the 1967 award for Best Picture.
  
  The film was followed by two sequels, They Call Me Mister Tibbs! in 1970, and The Organization in 1971. In 1988, it also became the basis of a television series adaptation of the same name.
  
  Although the film was set in the fictional Mississippi town of Sparta (with supposedly no connection to the real Sparta, Mississippi), part of the movie was filmed in Sparta, Illinois, where many of the film's landmarks can still be seen. The quote "They call me Mister Tibbs!" was listed as number 16 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes, a list of top film quotes'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1990, Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991), codenamed Operation Desert Shield (2 August 1990 – 17 January 1991), for operations leading to the buildup of troops and defense of Saudi Arabia and Operation Desert Storm (17 January 1991 – 28 February 1991) in its combat phase, was a war waged by coalition forces from 34 nations led by the United States against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.
  
  The war is also known under other names, such as the Persian Gulf War, First Gulf War, Gulf War I, Kuwait War, First Iraq War, or Iraq War before the term "Iraq War" became identified instead with the 2003 Iraq War (also referred to in the U.S. as "Operation Iraqi Freedom"). The Iraqi Army's occupation of Kuwait that began 2 August 1990 was met with international condemnation, and brought immediate economic sanctions against Iraq by members of the U.N. Security Council. U.S. President George H. W. Bush deployed U.S. forces into Saudi Arabia, and urged other countries to send their own forces to the scene. An array of nations joined the Coalition, the largest military alliance since World War II. The great majority of the Coalition's military forces were from the U.S., with Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Egypt as leading contributors, in that order. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia paid around US$32 billion of the US$60 billion cost.
  
  The war was marked by the introduction of live news broadcasts from the front lines of the battle, principally by the U.S. network CNN. The war has also earned the nickname Video Game War after the daily broadcast of images from cameras on board U.S. bombers during Operation Desert Storm.
  
  The initial conflict to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait began with an aerial and naval bombardment on 17 January 1991, continuing for five weeks. This was followed by a ground assault on 24 February. This was a decisive victory for the Coalition forces, who liberated Kuwait and advanced into Iraqi territory. The Coalition ceased its advance, and declared a cease-fire 100 hours after the ground campaign started. Aerial and ground combat was confined to Iraq, Kuwait, and areas on Saudi Arabia's border. Iraq launched Scud missiles against Coalition military targets in Saudi Arabia and against Israel'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More

Tomorrow's food holiday will be 'National Ice Cream Sandwich Day'.
[The Hankster says] Well, July was Ice Cream Month, but this is the kind of inconsistency I like. I wonder if I can have this with raspberry ice cream?


Tomorrow is 'National Friendship Day'. Created by Hallmark Cards in 1919. In 2011 the UN declared the day to be on July 30, but most countries hold it on the first Sunday In August.

We are bringing back the childhood days tomorrow. It will be 'National Coloring Book Day'.
[The Hankster says] The answer to my early artistic desires and the solution my mom always gave to the summertime question 'what can I do now'.

Tomorrow is 'American Family Day'. In the US state of Arizona. From Wikipedia: 'American Family Day is the 14th state-recognized holiday In Arizona, Title 1-301. American Family Day, much like Mothers Day or Father's Day is a non-paid holiday established as a separate day to appreciate family members by spending time with them. Families are discouraged from buying gifts or other material items. '

Following right along, tomorrow is also 'Sisters' Day'. First Sunday In August. Started In 1999 by sisters Tricia Rivalto Eleogram and Stacey Lowrey.


Awareness / Observance Days on: August 2
o Health
- 'Donate Life Week'. Aug 2-9In Australia. Concerns organ donation.

o Animal and Pets
- 'International Assistance Dog Week (IADW)'. Aug 2-8. Concerns assistance dogs that aid the disabled.


Historical events in the past on: August 2

In 1776, The United States Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4 1776, was signed by members of Congress.
o Time line
- June 7, 1776 - Lee Resolution delivered by Richard Henry Lee,
- June 11, 1776 - Committee of Five Appointed to state the colonies case.
- June 11 - July 1, 1776 - Declaration of Independence Drafted,
- July 2, 1776 - Lee Resolution Adopted and Consideration of Declaration,
- July 4, 1776 - Declaration of Independence Adopted and Printed,
- July 5, 1776 - Copies of the Declaration Dispatched throughout the Colonies,
- August 2, 1776 - Declaration Signed.

In 1790, The first United States Census is conducted. The population count obtained for August 2, 1790 was 3,929,326.
- The population count obtained for July 2, 1790 was 62,947,714.
- The population count obtained for April 1 1990 was 248,709,873.
- The population count obtained for April 1 2010 was 248,709,873.

In 1870, Tower Subway, the world's first underground tube railway, opens In London, England, United Kingdom.

In 1873, San Francisco has its first ever cable car operated system. It was the Clay Street Hill Railroad line.

In 1892, Charles A Wheeler patents an escalator prototype.

In 1929, The classic song, Ain't Misbehavin', was recorded by Fats Waller.

In 1932, The positron (antiparticle of the electron) is discovered by Carl D. Anderson.

In 1967, 'In the Heat of the Night' directed by Norman Jewison and starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger premieres In New York (Best Picture 1968).

In 1990, Iraq Invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.

No. 1 song

• (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - he Rolling Stones: More
  'Mr. Tambourine Man' has been displaced by '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction', which will hold the no. 1 spot until August 7 1965, when 'I'm Henry VIII, I Am - Herman's Hermits', takes over.

Top movie

• Ship of Fools More
  Having displaced 'The Sound of Music', it will be there until the weekend box office of Aug. 15 1965 when, 'A Very Special Favor', takes over.

• FamousBirthdays.com: August 2 Birthdays More
• FamousDaily.com: August 2 History More
• History.com: Historical Events on 2nd August More
• HistoryOrb.com: Famous Deaths on 2nd August More
• On-This-day.com history 2nd August More
• On-This-day.com music history 2nd August More
• Wikipedia.com: History August 2 More

Monthly holiday / awareness days in August

Food
National Catfish Month
National Goat Cheese Month
National Panini Month
Shop Online For Groceries Month
Rye Month

Health and Well-being
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
Children's Vision and Learning Month
National Breastfeeding Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
National Minority Donor Awareness Month
National Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month
National Win With Civility Month
Neurosurgery Outreach Month
Psoriasis Awareness Month

Animal and Pets
World Mutt-i-grees Rescue Month

Other
American Artists Appreciation Month
American Adventures Month
American Indian Heritage Month - also Nov.
Black Business Month
LBoomers Making A Difference Month
LBystander Awareness Month
LChild Support Awareness Month
LGet Ready for Kindergarten Month
Happiness Happens Month
Motor Sports Awareness Month
National Read A Romance Month
National Traffic Awareness Month
National Truancy Prevention Month
National Water Quality Month
Tomboy Tools Month
What Will Be Your Legacy Month

August is:

August origin (from Wikipedia): Originally named Sextili (Latin), because it was the sixth month in the original ten-month Roman calendar: under Romulus in 753 BC, when March was the first month of the year.
"About 700 BC it became the eighth month when January and February were added to the year before March by King Numa Pompilius, who also gave it 29 days. Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 45 BC giving it its modern length of 31 days. In 8 BC it was renamed in honor of Augustus According to a Senatus consultum quoted by Macrobius, he chose this month because it was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt. "

August at Wikipedia: More

If you couldn't afford 90 cents for a movie ticket, 50 years ago, or your 45 RPM record player was broke, you might watch one of these shows on TV.
From this Wikipedia article: More

Best selling books of 1965 More

• Astronomy Picture of the Day: More
• NOAA: - National Hurricane Center - Atlantic Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook: More
• Listen to Old Radio Shows: (streaming mp3 with schedule) More
• NASA TV: (video feed) More
  NASA TV schedule: More
• Public Domain eBook Links

  Sites for downloading or reading free Public Domain eBooks. Available in various formats. More

• Podcast: A Moment of Science. Approximately 1 minute general science facts.
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Podcast: The Naked Scientists. Current science, medicine, space and other science
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Podcast: Quirks & Quarks. Current science news.
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Articles and videos: Universe Today. Current space and astronomy news.
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Old Picture of the Day - "Each day we bring you one stunning little glimpse of history in the form of a historical photograph."
  Home page: More
  RSS: More

Below, are listed several holiday sites that I reference in addition to other holiday researches.

US Government Holidays

• 2015 Postal Holidays More
• 2015 Official Federal Holidays More

Holidays Worldwide

• List of holidays by country More
• Holidays and Observances around the World More